Bedouin Flat Bread

Every nomadic tribe in the world makes its own bread. You can make bread  using any implements, any heat source, and any combination of ingredients. I want to share how I would make a flat bread like the Bedouins.

You will need:

• 5 cups unsifted  self-rising flour
• Additional flour (2 to 3 cups) for  dusting breadboard
• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 package instant yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar

Preparation Method:

1. Use a wire whisk to mix 1 cup self-rising flour, 2 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1  tsp baking soda in a large bowl until creamy. This is your dough starter.
2. Allow  your dough to stand for 10 to 15 minutes
3. Add yeast and 1 tsp. of sugar to dough starter
4. Stir flour into dough starter 1 cup at a time.
5. Mix until it becomes to tough to move.
6. Dust top of dough and your hands with about 1/4 cup of  flour.
7. Knead dough by hand. The dough should be moist and stretchy without sticking to your hands. It should not feel overly  stiff, and should stretch rather than breaking when pulled.
8. Add more flour 1/8 cup at a time if dough is too sticky, until the dough feels right in your hands.
9. Fold dough on itself several times until it is firm.
10. Bedouins would now stretch out the bread of course making sure there are no holes. Alternatively Flatten dough using a rolling pin.
11. Bake on a griddle or even a flat sheet of metal turning the bread every 2 minutes until golden brown.

 

 

Viva España!

Last week, I made an Indian Feast, this week I thought I’d try out some Spanish Cooking. I thought I’d attempt Tapas.

Tapas is simply a small snack usually to accompany a drink or two at lunchtime or in the early evening before the main meal. The Spanish generally won’t drink without eating something.

The origins of tapas are the topic of many arguments in different regions of Spain. It is said that the first Tapas was simply a piece of bread which was placed over the glass to keep the flies out. Hence the word ‘tapas’ was born. Tapa literally meaning ‘cover’ or ‘lid’.

Olives, or toasted almonds in a little olive oil and salt. These are the original tapas; the simplest of foods, requiring little preparation. As the tradition developed, tapas became more of an elaborate event, with each region having their own specialities.

I am going to make five Tapas dishes:

• Meatballs in a Spicy Meatball Sauce
• Spanish Omlette
• Patatas bravas
• Stuffed Aubergine
• Garlic Prawns

Yummy I can’t wait

:0)

Diabetic Bread and Butter Pudding

A friend of mine that I have been speaking to on twitter for some time now specialises in diabetic cooking. In fact he has launched his own choccie bar! Please take a look at his site http://www.thepoorchef.com/about-the-chef.html

It got me thinking that there must be lots of recipes for people with Diabetes out there. So here is a recipe for a simple bread and butter pudding.

You will need:

• 10 slices of white bread cut into triangles
• 50 grams raisins
• 350ml skim milk
• 75g unsalted margarine, softened (if you would like to make a standard bread and butter pudding you can use real butter)
• 2 eggs well beaten
• 4 packages artificial sweetener (if you would like to make a standard bread and butter pudding, you can use 25 grams of sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preparation Method:

1. Beat egg, vanilla and sweetener together
2. Arrange bread traiangles (buttered) into a dish
3. Sprinkle half the raisins evenly over the bread, then lightly sprinkle with a little nutmeg and cinnamon. Repeat this layer one more time or until the dish is filled, finishing with the raisins on top.
4. In a saucepan gently heat the milk
5. Pour the warm milk over the eggs mix and continue beating until all the milk is added.
6. Pour the egg mixture slowly and evenly over the bread until all the liquid is added
7. Pop in a preheated oven (180 degrees) for about 45minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean
8. Be careful not to overbake.